1. Field
This disclosure relates to an apparatus for stimulating living body, which generates a stimulation signal with an optical signal. The apparatus for stimulating living body may be manufactured to be easily implanted in living body and may be operated for a long period of time because no battery is required.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typical electrical nerve stimulation devices include a deep brain stimulator (DBS) for patients with Parkinson's disease, a vagus nerve stimulator (VNS) for patients with epilepsy, and a spinal cord stimulator (SCS) for patients with chronic pain.
FIG. 1 shows a spinal cord stimulator according to the background art implanted in living body. A pulse generator is implanted above the ilium of a user, and an electrode is implanted at the stimulation site, i.e. the spine. The pulse generator and the electrode are connected with a wire and stimulate the spinal nerve. Since the spinal cord stimulator in the background art is a device having an electrode attached to the spine and having an electrical stimulator implanted above the ilium of a user and that requires a battery, it cannot be operated permanently. That is, surgical operation for the change of battery is needed once in about 5 years.
Recently, a spinal cord stimulator adopting a rechargeable battery was developed. It measures about 1 cm in thickness and about 3 cm in diameter, and is operable for about 10 years. However, it still requires surgical operation for the change of the battery. Accordingly, there is a need of a stimulation device with long operation life and easily implantable in living body.